Fire brick



J1me 1934. c. w. THORNBOROUGH 1,963,181

FIRE BRICK Filed Aug. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 19, 1934.

c. w. THORNBOROUGH 1,963,181

FIRE BRICK Filed Aug. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 -11 IH v Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES FIRE BRICK Claude W. Thornborough, Decatur, I1l.,, assign'or to A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company, Decatur, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 8, 1930, Serial No. 473,795

3 Claims.

This invention relates, in general, to furnace construction, and while it will be hereinafter described as embodied in a furnace provided with p a mechanical, continuously operating stoker, it

will be apparent that it has valuable application in furnaces otherwise supplied with fuel.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a lining for the vertical walls of a furnace of increased durability, the invention contemplating in this regard prevention against the accumulation of slag and deterioration of the walls themselves in use.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a brick adapted to be used in a furnace lining and constructed and arranged to prevent accumulation of slag on the walls through the provision of an air blanket protecting the brick itself, and other portions of the wall of which it forms a part.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of the furnace embodying my present invention, conventionally illustrated;

Fig. 2 is a partial end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a brick embodying my present invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken centrally through the brick shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

For the purpose of illustrating my present invention, I have shown on the drawings a furnace, comprising a combustion chamber 11 bounded by vertical side walls 12, a top wall 13, and end walls 14 (only one of said end walls is shown,

on the drawings, this being the end wall through which fuel is fed in by a mechanical stoker and on to a conveyor generally indicated by reference 4,5character 15). The conveyor 15 is trained over a drum 16 at the fuel feeding end of the furnace, and passes along the bottom of the chamber 11, it being understood that fuel is fed on to the conveyor and is completely burned as the 5di3onveyor carries the fuel through the combustion chamber, the first combustion occurring at and just inwardly of this end wall 14.

The vertical or upwardly extending side walls of the furnace are lined with a refractory brick work, and in accordance with the invention a portion of this brick work is comprised ofbricks constructed, a's"illustrat'ed more particularly Figs. 3 to 5; The brick of these figures is of generally rectangular form, and is providedwith a central, longitudinally extending air passage 50 18, and with a number of lateral air passages 19 communicating between the central air passage 18 and the vertical faces of the brick. In the instant embodiment of the invention two such lateral passages extend from the central passage 18 to each of the two vertical faces of the brick. The passages 19 are inclined to the vertical faces and are preferably provided with somewhat enlarged outlets 21. Each brick is also preferably provided at one end with a recess 22, ?0 into which is adapted to be arranged a rib 23 to a companion brick.

Bricks constructed as just described, and generally indicated by reference character 24, are arranged in the side walls of the furnace adjacent the fuel receiving inlet, as may be observed in Figure 1. Thus disposed, the central passages 18 of one or more rows or tiers of brick are in communication with each other, and the end brick is connected to a duct 25, which in turn communicates with a vertical air pipe 26 adapted to receive air under forced draft from an air passage 27. The bricks 24 shouldbe arranged in the vertical walls to dispose the inclined lat- 0c eral passages 19 to direct the air in the direction of movement of the conveyor, i. e., to direct the air inwardly of the furnace from the opening 17. Manifestly, any number of bricks 24 may be employed in each tier, and in any number of tiers. The bricks 24 deliver air out of the lateral passages 19, and provide a blanket of air over the face of the brick work, which blanket of air moves generally forward and through the furnace, the blanket being most ef- '2? fective at the zone of preliminary or first combustion of the fuel. In providing the lateral passages to extend from the central passage 18 to both faces of the brick, the bricks may be turned when it becomes necessary to reline the furnace a": after service, thus reversing the exposed vertical faces.

It will be manifest that the air forced through the openings 19 is directed toward the opposite end of the furnace and forms a blanket of air between the burning fuel and the adjacent vertical furnace wall. This blanket of air prevents to a large extent the accumulation of slag upon the walls themselves and materially ren (is tards deterioration. c;

It will be apparent also that the air issues from the openings 19 as jets of rapidly moving air angularly directed from the opening 1'7 and toward the other end of the furnace. These jets carry the products of combustion away from the walls at the fire line, i. e. the zone of greatest heat.

The furnace structure and the conveyor shown on the drawings are merely conventional and may be of any preferred or usual construction. While the bricks are described as having vertical and horizontal faces and passages, it will be understood that the terms are used in their relative sense and that the invention contemplates their positioning with the faces and passages otherwise disposed.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore de scribed being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A brick for a furnace wall, comprising a refractory body of generally rectangular form, having a central horizontal air passage therethrough, and horizontally disposed oppositely extended lateral passages communicating with said central air passage and with the vertical faces of said brick.

2. A brick for a'furnace lining of generally rectangular form, having a central horizontal air passage therethrough, and having also lateral air passages extending through the faces in- 

